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Pencil sets and Progeny

"Hey, Dad, where are you?"

Spencer shut his latest reading project and hurried out of his home office to the living room. "Dianna," He hugged her tight and then shook hands with his son-in-law, Dennis."

"Gampa," said a tiny girl with wavy golden, brown hair and her grandfather's eyes.

She wore a little pink hoodie over a purple tee shirt with little yellow and red flowers, green grass and couple of puppies, playing on the front. A pair of jeans and pink shoes completed the look.

He swung her up into his arms despite his bad back. What was a little pain in the face of his tiny granddaughter? "Hey there, munchkin. How are you this fine day?"

"I fine. It's mama's birthday."

"Yes, I know…"

They moved to sit down on the leather couches while Amy babbled about the present she'd given her mother. "I made it all alone," she informed him.

"You did," he asked.

"Uh, huh, and it was the bestest, mama said so."

"It was," Dianna said.

She was an older version of her daughter and a younger version of her father except for her dark eyes that were her mother's eyes. Her hair fell in waves around her face and she smiled like her mother. A little stab of pain lanced his heart, but he forced it down and smiled at her.

"A new watch pales in comparison to the artwork of a three year old," said Dennis and he smiled broadly. "Not that I can complain because I happen to think my little girl is an artistic genius."

"She is," Dianna agreed proudly. "She's definitely talented."

Spencer went to Dianna and hugged her again. "Happy Birthday, my dear."

"Thanks, Daddy."

"I know we said ten o'clock for brunch, but Dianna, I have something I'd like to give you before we go."

"Dad, I told you no gifts. You're springing for brunch at the Eagle Hotel. That's enough."

He smiled at her and despite the gray in his hair and the lines on his face, he was still a handsome man, Dianna thought. She'd thought as a child that he was the best dad in the world. She still thought it.

He went to the antique desk in the corner of the room and opened a drawer. He removed a small gift bag in silver and gold with matching tissue paper and handed it to her.

She took out the tissue paper and gasped. Inside was a beautiful pewter pen and pencil set. The surfaces were carved with Celtic symbols and flowers. "Oh daddy, this is yours, I can't take this."

"You can and you will. I always planned to give this to you on your thirtieth birthday."

"Grandma gave these to you when you were twelve, Dad. You carried them around with you in your messenger bag on all your cases. You used them to write to grandmother every day for years."

"Yes, but I want you to have them, Dianna. You're a lot like her. She would have wanted you to have these."

"They are beautiful," Dennis said.

"Mommy, I hungry," Amy whined and Dianna shushed her. "In a minute, sweetheart."

"No, she's right," Spencer agreed. "It's time for food."

"Alright, but I still feel bad, daddy. These are your favorite."

"And I said, I want you to have them."

She finally gave him her mother's dazzling smile. "Then I accept. Thank you, dad."

She threw her arms around him and hugged him again. "I love you so much," he said in her ear.

"Love you too."

"Let's eat," Spencer said again.

"Yay," Amy cried and they all laughed.

"I think we have time to take a picture of three generations of Reids together," Dennis said. "Sit down on the couch, everyone."

"Dennis!"

"Come on, just one photograph."

"Says the professional photographer," Dianna said and playfully smacked her husband on his shoulder. "The longer we argue the longer we have to wait in line for brunch. Time's a wastin."

She rolled her eyes, but sat with her father in the middle. She and Amy sat on either said like bookends. "Say cheese," Dennis said as he raised his cell phone.

"Cheese," they all responded and the camera clicked.

Spencer looked to his left and to his right. His family, his legacy was here in this room with him. One day, he'd join his wife and his mother in death, but the next generation would live on and that was all he needed to know.